Senior politicians supported young NSW Liberal power brokers trying to shift party to right, corruption watchdog hears

The commission heard the group hosted recruitment functions at which guests, including former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott, spoke on ‘conservative and/or religious issues’. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images View image in fullscreen The commission heard the group hosted recruitment functions at which guests, including former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott, spoke on ‘conservative and/or religious issues’. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images Senior politicians supported young NSW Liberal power brokers trying to shift party to right, corruption watchdog hears So-called ‘Reformers’ hosted recruitment functions with speakers including Tony Abbott and Alan Jones Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Senior politicians in the New South Wales Liberal party supported the work of a group of young conservative power brokers who sought to take control of the party and move it towards the right, the corruption watchdog has heard. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) began its Operation Rosny hearings into allegations of corruption against people associated with the NSW Liberal party on Monday. It is investigating three allegations, including that Liberal figures “solicited or accepted” donations, including from prohibited donors, in amounts which were undeclared or exceeded caps, to recruit or renew members to the party – a practice known as “branch stacking”. In her opening statement, the counsel assisting the commission, Peggy Dwyer SC, said this “core group” of young Liberal staffers and lobbyists who called themselves the “Reformers” included lobbyist Christian Ellis, consultant Robert Assaf, and Jean-Claude Perrottet, the younger brother of former Liberal premier, Dominic Perrottet. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email Another man, lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood, allegedly facilitated the Reformers’ receipt of funds. Dwyer said evidence would show “a number of senior politicians in the NSW Liberal party supported the work of the Reformers, including by speaking at their events or otherwise facilitating the work they did in recruiting and renewal for branches”. She said the group hosted recruitment functions at which special guests, including former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott, broadcaster Alan Jones and Catholic Schools NSW chief executive, Dallas McInerney, spoke on “conservative and/or religious issues”. She said a document made when Ellis was a staffer in the office of federal Nationals senator Matt Canavan “set out the mission of the NSW Reformers as, I quote: ‘taking back our nation through good government’.” The document proposed recruiting 5,000 Christian conservatives to join NSW Liberal party branches, “and thereby take control of the NSW division of the Liberal party”, said Dwyer. Political lobbyists, NSW Liberals and a fugitive developer are facing corruption allegations. Here’s what you need to know Read more Dwyer a